Skateboard ramps provide an ideal way for allowing skateboarding enthusiasts to practice their sport away from the hazards of traffic. Such ramps are typically installed by municipalities in skate parks, which are usually located in residential areas. To ensure maximum usage of these parks by skateboarding enthusiasts, the skateboard ramps must provide a smooth ride. At the same time, by virtue of the fact that skateboard ramps are outdoor installations, these must be made resistant to severe changes in the weather, particularly as occur in northern latitudes. In addition, municipalities must be conscious of the effects of noise pollution on nearby residences and hence the surface of the ramp must be designed with a quiet ride in mind.
It is therefore not surprising that skateboard ramps have undergone a considerable evolution from a time when the ride surface was made of wood. Such wooden ramps, although simple to construct and capable of providing riders with a pleasant “feel”, require a high degree of maintenance as they tend to decay rather quickly, especially in areas where rain or snow are prevalent. Moreover, as they perish, wooden ramps subject skaters to the risk of injury from splinters and exposed screw heads.
By moving from a wooden ramp to one made of painted steel, one reduces the maintenance requirements of the ramp and thus significantly increases its safety and durability, although rust now becomes a significant impediment to the commercial success of this type of ramp. This is especially problematic in humid climates or in the presence of salt used to melt snow in some regions. Moreover, the rolling of wheels on a steel surface causes a much greater amount of noise than on a wooden ramp. Thus, even with the advent of the stainless or galvanized steel ramp, noise remains a critical issue, along with the added cost of treating the large amounts of metal necessary to create stainless steel skateboard ramps.
Another material that has been used in the construction of skateboard ramps is aluminum. Such a ramp offers the advantage of being more durable than one made of stainless steel. However, aluminum is afflicted by an even greater cost than stainless steel and retains the poor noise performance usually associated with metal surfaces. As a result, aluminum is often not the choice of a cash-strapped municipality in search of skateboard ramps to populate a skate park.
Thus, in search of the ideal skateboarding surface, manufacturers of skateboard ramps have turned to concrete. A concrete surface provides quiet, long-lasting skating pleasure with a superior ride “feel”. However, as can be readily imagined, the extreme weight of a concrete structure of the size necessary to provide appropriate elevations and radii of curvature is the most serious drawback of this type of ramp. In particular, the weight of such a structure renders it virtually impossible to account for shifts in the level of the earth that may occur after the ramp is placed, not to mention the disadvantage of requiring special heavy equipment to position the structure in the first place. Moreover, a conventional concrete structure is typically unattractive, not only because of its natural discoloration and liability to graffiti, but also because it curtails the field of view of individuals in its vicinity.
Against this background, it is apparent that the need exists for a skateboard ramp that is capable of providing the durability, safety, noise absorption and “feel” of a conventional concrete ramp, while benefiting from a greatly reduced weight and reduced physical volume.